Maria Bissell Hotchkiss
| Maria Bissell Hotchkiss | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
August 14, 1827 Salisbury, Connecticut |
| Died | November 10, 1901 (aged 74) New York City |
| Resting place | Town Hill Cemetery, Lakeville, Connecticut |
| Education | Amenia Academy |
| Occupation | Educator |
| Spouse(s) | Benjamin B. Hotchkiss |
| Parent(s) | William Bissell Eliza Ann Loveland |
Maria (Harrison) Bissell Hotchkiss (August 14, 1827 – November 10, 1901) was an American heiress, philanthropist, and educator. In 1891 she founded The Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut.
Maria Harrison Bissell was born on August 14, 1827 in Salisbury, Connecticut. Her father was William Bissell (1794-1869), and her mother was Eliza Ann Loveland (1800-1841). She grew up on a farm in Salisbury named "Tory Hill" with her two brothers, William Loveland Bissell (1833-1922) and Charles H. Bissell (1829-1928). She was a member of the famed Bissell family and related to Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison. She was educated at Amenia Academy.
She worked as a teacher at her alma mater, Amenia Academy.
Upon receiving her husband's inheritance, she considered macadamizing the streets of Salisbury and Sharon, Connecticut for use by automobiles. However, the idea was rejected by both towns, who thought the upkeep would be too expensive. Instead, she was convinced by Timothy Dwight V, the President of Yale University, to start a preparatory school. As a result, she founded The Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, in 1891. A philanthropist, she donated the land, the buildings and the endowment for the school. The Hotchkiss School purchased "Tory Hill," the farm where Mrs. Hotchkiss was born and spent her childhood, in 2010.
In 1893, she founded the Hotchkiss Library in Sharon, Connecticut. She helped choose the architectural design.
She married Benjamin B. Hotchkiss on 27 May 1850. However, he permanently moved to Paris in 1867 and became a bigamist, marrying a Miss Cunningham from New York. Later, she resided at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
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